A relief group known as Chin Famine Emergency Relief Committee (CFERC) is planning to send rice bags worth Indian Rupee 140,000 (Burmese currency around Kyat 3,780,000) for victims of near famine like situation in Chin state, Burma where people urgently need help.
Bamboo flowering caused the near famine like situation and the food crisis in areas along the Indo-Burma border since last year. Bamboo flowers attract rats in hordes which multiply and destroy crops and paddy stocks in villages in Chin state. People are facing acute shortage of food.
CFERC was formed overnight by some patriotic Chins living in Mizoram state, northeast India sharing the border with Chin state to raise funds and to facilitate the flow of aid received from overseas donors into Chin state.
The aid will be delivered to the worst affected areas in Thiahrak, Marahla, KungPing and Karamei villages in Paletwa Township, southern Chin state, according to Pu Chan thawnga, Chairman of CFERC.
"We need to send the aid to affected areas as soon as possible because the people urgently need help. Some villagers have nothing. They are at starvation point. They are surviving by eating only 'zam' (sweet potato) found in the jungle.
The people go out to the forests and uncover the earth to find 'zam' on which they depend for their daily meal. But even 'zam' is hard to find in the areas now.
Despite the people in affected areas in Chin state facing scarcity of food and suffering from malnutrition, the Burmese military regime has allegedly turned a blind eye and failed to solve the problem of its own starving people.
Not only has the regime neglected the people but also to make matters worse confiscated relief material provided for the victims.
"The military authorities in Paletwa Township confiscated around 300 rice bags (50 kg) that the Roman Catholic Church donated for the people in the affected areas," Terah, field coordinator of Chin Human Rights Organization said.
In April, the CFERC delivered relief worth Rs. 160,000 to 12 villages from affected areas in Chin state. However, there is no report of authorities interfering in the rescue work.
The relief group is also concerned that the weather, particularly the monsoon might disrupt transportation of food or other aid to famine affected areas. The foot tracks that connect villages in the remote areas of Chin state are damaged in monsoon.
"If possible, we would like to deliver the aid to affected areas before the monsoon sets in. It will be very difficult to transport food to famine affected areas during the monsoon," Pu Chan thawnga said.
Most of the famine affected areas in Chin state are places where the road is bumpy and not well connected. Only through a narrow foot track, is it possible to access the areas.
The bamboos flower once in 50 years in the region when its life comes to an end, heralding famine.
